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Panzer Grenadier series
The Panzer Grenadier series of Board wargames is Avalanche Press's series of World War II tactical land combat. The first game in the series was released in 2000. Series Summary Unlike Squad Leader and other squad level wargames, which Panzer Grenadier is commonly compared to, Panzer Grenadier is based at the platoon level. This makes it much more similar to the Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz games published by Avalon Hill. The game is played on a hex grid game map. Units and other markers are made out of 2/3" × 2/3" cardboard counters. The game also features a phased turn system where each player may alternately move and fire with some of his units on the map until all are done or the "fog of war" optional rule ends the game turn. This is in contrast to "I go, you go (IGYG)" systems where one player moves all (or the majority) of their units and then the other player moves theirs. Phased systems can create a less artificial turn structure where both player's actions are blended over the course of a single game turn. In June, 2014 the 4th edition of the ruleset was released. The overall tone of the rules were unchanged from 3rd edition, but some aspects were clarified (esp. the Line of Sight/Spotting section) and introduced armor overruns. Boxed Games Boxed Games contain a rulebook, scenarios, counters, and one or more maps. They are playable by themselves and do not require any additional games. Eastern Front Eastern Front was the first Panzer Grenadier game and is set in 1941. It is currently in a deluxe edition and features 112 scenarios. Road to Berlin Road to Berlin is set in 1945 and features 75 scenarios. Beyond Normandy Beyond Normandy covers British forces fighting the Waffen SS in Normandy. Airborne Introductory Edition Airborne Introductory Edition is a game that is intended to introduce players to the Panzer Grenadier series. The game covers American paratroopers during the D-Day landings. Semper Fi! Guadalcanal Guadalcanal is the only boxed game in the Panzer Grenadier series set in the Pacific theater at this time. It consists of Japanese forces defending the island of Guadalcanal from U.S. Marines, including Raiders and Paratroopers, in 1942. Afrika Korps Afrika Korps covers North Africa in 1940–1941. It contains German, Italian, British, and Australian forces. Desert Rats Desert Rats is the sequel to Afrika Korps and is set in 1941–1942. It contains British, Indian, New Zealand, German, Italian, and Italian colonial troops. Battle of the Bulge Battle of the Bulge covers the battle of the same name. It has 51 scenarios and many tanks on each side. Battle of the Bulge 2: Elsenborn Ridge Battle of the Bulge 2: Elsenborn Ridge, called simply Elsenborn Ridge on Avalanche Press' website, is the first boxed Panzer Grenadier game in 2008. It covers the northern half of the Battle of the Bulge and was designed at the same time as North Wind. 1940: The Fall of France 1940: The Fall of France covers the German invasion of France. Includes 50 scenarios and eight semi-rigid boards. Cassino '44 Cassino '44 covers the Allied battles around the historic abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy. Scenarios cover all 4 battles and include 2 campaign games. Saipan 1944 Saipan 1944 covers the American invasion of the island of Saipan in the Pacific. 40 scenarios and 4 maps with American and Japanese units cover the battle. Book Supplements Book Supplements are generally 64 pages of scenarios and historic background information and usually include additional counters. They do not include any maps and require other games to play the scenarios. Sinister Forces Sinister Forces adds Waffen SS and NKVD units to the series and is set on the Eastern Front. Fronte Russo Fronte Russo is designed by Ottavio Ricchi and Lorenzo Striuli, and covers the Italian Expeditionary Corps operations on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union. Jungle Fighting Jungle Fighting is a scenario-only book for use with Guadalcanal. It has 42 scenarios and another map printed on the back of the book. Arctic Front Arctic Front is a module that covers the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. Modules are not playable by themselves -- Arctic Front requires Eastern Front for most of the scenarios. Edelweiss Edelweiss is another module and adds German mountain troops to Panzer Grenadier. Edelweiss also includes four 1 " counters, twice the size as regular counters. These include two German Karl mortars and two Soviet river monitors. Black SS Black SS is yet another module and adds late war SS troops and scenarios. 30 scenarios included and a counter sheet with 165 pieces replacing SS units from other games with new black backgrounds (instead of camo). 1940: The Fall of France, Elsenborn Ridge, Road to Berlin and Beyond Normandy are required to play all of the scenarios. Spiral-Bound Supplements Iron Curtain Iron Curtain is a fictional supplement covering a war between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1945 and 1946. South Africa's War South Africa's War covers the operations of South Africa's military between 1940 and 1942 in Somaliland, Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya. Blue Division Blue Division covers the Spanish "Blue Division" on the Eastern Front. Red Warriors Red Warriors adds Soviet Guards forces to Panzer Grenadier. The now out-of-print Heroes of the Soviet Union supplement contained the counters and half of the scenarios, all of which have been rewritten for this supplement. Scenario Booklets (no counters) Scenario booklets are add-ons with 10 scenarios. They do not have any counters or maps, therefore requiring the ownership of other games. Avalanche Press intends to release a scenario booklet every month that does not have another Panzer Grenadier game launching. North Wind North Wind, released in August 2007, is the first of the scenario-only booklets and covers the German Operation Nordwind. Alaska's War Alaska's War covers the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands and the American missions to recapture them. March to Leningrad March to Leningrad, announced on March 24, 2008, is a new scenario booklet covering the German offensive towards Leningrad in the summer of 1941. Siege of Leningrad Siege of Leningrad, announced along with March to Leningrad on March 24, 2008, is based on the later part of the siege of Leningrad and the Red Army's attacks in 1943 and 1944. Army Group South Ukraine: Battles in Bessarabia, 1944 Army Group South Ukraine focuses on defensive battles of the Grossdeutschland Division Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland in Bessarabia, Romania. Panzer Lion: Grossdeutschland in Action, 1944 Panzer Lion has more scenarios for Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland. External links *[http://www.avalanchepress.com/line_Panzer.php Avalanche Press' Panzer Grenadier page] *Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - an exhaustive fansite dedicated to the series *[http://www.boardgamegeek.com/metasearch.php?searchtype=game&search=panzer+grenadier&B1=Go Panzer Grenadier series] at BoardGameGeek Category:World War II board wargames